


A Quiet Evening

by Amedia



Category: The Wizard of Oz & Related Fandoms, Tin Man (2007)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Future Fic, Grandchildren, M/M, Mention of Adora Cain, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-21
Updated: 2013-10-21
Packaged: 2017-12-30 00:50:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1012063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amedia/pseuds/Amedia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ambrose and Cain spend a quiet evening at home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Quiet Evening

**Author's Note:**

> Response to kseda's drabble request: "Ambrose, Cain, and a quiet evening at home." It was also partly inspired by moony_blues' request: "A secondary character, like Zero and/or Adora, would be nice." It expanded beyond the length of a drabble, but the requesters didn't seem to mind.
> 
> Originally posted on LiveJournal on October 19, 2008.

Autumn was in full swing, with clear crisp days and chilly nights. It was a perfect night for a fire in the fireplace of the old restored farmhouse. Ambrose sat to one side, reading a biography of an ancient alchemist; Cain sat on the other, carving a doll with jointed limbs. The gramophone in the corner was quietly sending out the plaintive strains of a favorite chanteuse. Occasionally a vehicle or a horse could be heard passing by, no doubt bearing people on the way to comfortable evenings of their own.

The peace was abruptly shattered by a wail from the front porch. "No, **I** wanna knock on the door this time! Azzie got to **last** time. It isn't **fair**!"

Then came DG's voice. "Young lady, if you don't behave yourself this instant we are turning around and going home!"

And then Jeb's: "So much for the surprise."

There was silence for a few minutes, during which time Ambrose set his book aside and moved some breakables onto higher shelves, and Cain hid the doll along with his tools in the tool basket and locked it. Finally came the sound of four little fists knocking on the door simultaneously. Cain grinned and went to open it. "Well, look who snuck up on us, as quiet as a family of little mice!" he said cheerfully as Azkadellia, age 5, and Theodora, age 4, ran squealing through and around his legs into the house. DG and Jeb stood on the porch, looking apologetic.

"We were sorta hoping to surprise you," DG said sheepishly.

Cain grinned. "It's always a treat to see the grandchildren, believe me. And the two of you as well. Come on in!"

Coming back into the main room, he saw that Theodora had already claimed Ambrose's lap, while Azkadellia was studying the gramophone with the air of one who was about to touch something forbidden. "Azzie!" Cain called. "Come help me pour cider for everyone in the kitchen, okay!"

After cider and cookies, little Az climbed up on Cain's lap and stuck her tongue out at Theodora, who hooked her thumbs in her ears and waggled her fingers back at her sister. "Grandpa Wyatt," Az said, "tell me about Grandma Adora."

Cain paused, visibly collecting his thoughts, and Ambrose spoke up. "Your Grandma Adora was one of the bravest leaders of the resistance ever," he said, shooting Jeb a puzzled look. Surely Jeb had told the children all the stories about Adora's leadership and how she helped the rebels to gather several pockets of discontent into a coordinated fighting force. Jeb looked puzzled right back.

"I know all that," said Az. "What was she like when she was a little girl, like me?" Theodora humphed and Az sighed. "Like **us** , I mean."

Cain smiled, leaning back in his chair as much as the warm burden on his lap would allow. "Oh, Azzie," he said with a smile. "You and Dorrie look so much like your grandma when she was little. She was the prettiest little girl in the day school I went to, and the naughtiest!"

"I'm only the second naughtiest in my school," put in Dorrie, anxiously. 

"That's all right, you've got plenty of time yet," murmured Ambrose. DG and Jeb both glared at him and he shrugged apologetically.

"We met for the first time," said Cain, warming to his tale, "when we were both in detention. I was in trouble for fighting and she had been stealing apples from the school orchard."

Both little girls looked impressed. Stealing apples was a dangerous game, as the trees guarded them jealously.

"I had a black eye and she had this humongous scrape on her cheek and down one arm. So we had something to talk about. Brag about, I should say. We were partners in crime from then on." He looked from his rapt young audience to the reactions of the faces of the intervening generation, and grinned. "Of course," he added, "it's one thing for little Tin Men and rebel leaders to get into fights or steal apples. It's quite another thing for princesses. Everyone looks up to you to set a good example, you know."

Azzie gave a comically adult-like sigh. "I know," she said. 

"Me too," said Dorrie, her sleepy voice muffled in Ambrose's shoulder.

DG rolled her eyes. "I know how they feel," she stage-whispered. 

******

The house was quiet again after the little ones and their parents had left. Cain was quiet, too, as they prepared for bed. "You didn't mind my going on about Adora tonight, did you?" he finally asked, sitting on the bed and checking the alarm clock.

Ambrose, looking quaintly dignified in striped pajamas and tasseled cap, was putting his watch and reading glasses in the nightstand drawer on the other side. "Of course not," he said. "I wouldn't expect you ever to forget her, or to feel differently about her. It would give me hope that if something happened to me, you would show the same kind of--" He broke off at a choked sound from Cain. "Cain?"

Cain's voice was very small. "Don't say that, Ambrose, please don't say that."

Ambrose climbed across the bed and wrapped his arms around Cain from behind. "Of course not," he said, pulling back a little and rubbing Cain's back in circles. "What I meant was, that I'm proud of your loyalty. Your love for her just makes me love you more." He thought for a moment. "That made sense, didn't it?" He felt Cain relax against him.

"Of course it did, sweetheart, of course it did."


End file.
